Liquid dispenser

ABSTRACT

A liquid dispenser in which liquid is transferred from a container as by capillary action to a retaining member such as a spongy mass and then expressing means selectively compressing the retaining member at the desired time to force expressed liquid therefrom and conveying means such as a trough structure for conveying the expressed liquid away from the retaining member and the container.

Inventor Anthony Mason St. Joseph, Mich. App]. No. 842,989 Filed July18, 1969 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Assignee Whirlpool Corporation LIQUIDDISPENSER 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl .Q 222/187, 134/95, 222/372 Int. Cl B6711 3/00 Field of Search222/187, 54, 190, 372; 134/100, 101, 58 D, 95

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,599,561 6/1952 Knight 222/187 X3,062,032 11/1962 Toma 134/100 X 3,082,736 3/1963 Waters 222/187 X3,207,373 9/1965 Dannenmann 134/58 D 3,373,905 3/1968 Laufer, Sr 134/100X 3,478,757 11/1969 Tuthill 134/101 X Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. KingAssistant ExaminerThomas C. Culp, Jr.

Attorneys-James S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Gene A.

Heth, Burton H. Baker, Donald W. Thomas, Frank C. Harter and Hofgren,Wegner, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT: A liquid dispenser in which liquidis transferred from a container as by capillary action to a retainingmember such as a spongy mass and then expressing means selectivelycompressing the retaining member at the desired time to force expressedliquid therefrom and conveying means such as a trough structure forconveying the expressed liquid away from the retaining member and thecontainer.

LIQUID MSPENSEIR One of the features of this invention is to provide aliquid dispenser of the above type that includes a wick or similarcapillary member for transferring liquid from a container to a retainingmember such as a sponge that is capable of holding the liquid but whencompressed releases it. The retaining member is not necessarily a spongebut could very well be a bellows, piston and cylinder or other similarcompressible liquid holding but releasing member.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of one embodiment thereof as shown in theaccompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of the open front end of adishwasher in which one embodiment of the invention is shown.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the front of the liquid dispensershowing the tubular filling trough extended.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the rear of the dispenser withthe rear panel of the liquid container removed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3but with the liquid transfer wick means omitted for clarity ofillustration.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 3but with the liquid transfer wick means omitted for clarity ofillustration.

The liquid dispenser of this invention is illustrated as embodied in adispenser for liquid wetting agent for a dishwasher that is operable toa preselected time in the washing cycle to introduce the liquid wettingagent into the interior of the dishwasher.

In the illustrated embodiment the dishwasher is of the front openingtype that uses a hinged door 11 which is shown in open position toenclose the interior 12 containing a pair of the usual dish supportingracks 13.

The liquid dispenser 14 which is illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 is positionedwithin the door 11 and includes a container 15 for the liquid in theshape of a box having opposite sides 16 and 17 with this container beinglocated between an inner panel 118 and outer panel 19 of the door.

The side 16 of the container is positioned adjacent the inner panel 18and the container carries on its interior a compressibleliquid-retaining member 20 at the top of the container so as to be abovethe normal liquid level therein. This retaining member as shown is acompressible sponge with one such sponge being formed of reticulatedhydrophilic polyurethane capable of retaining a considerable amount ofliquid in the usual manner when in the uncompressed state.

In order to transfer liquid from the interior 21 of the container to thesponge 20 there is provided a transfer means which as shown is embodiedin an elongated wick 22 that is preferably of fabric with this wickserving as a capillary member which will keep the sponge 20 suppliedwith the liquid held in the container. However, sponge 20 and wick 22could be a unitary member completely molded from a spongy material. Thiswick 22 is retained in position extending downwardly from the sponge 2&1to the bottom 23 of the container by a pair of spaced walls 24 that areintegral with the side 16 of the container and that extend toward butshort of the opposite side 17.

In order to compress the sponge 20 there is provided an expressing meansfor selectively compressing the retaining member or sponge 20 to forcethe expressed liquid therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment thisexpressing means comprises a pair of relatively movable squeezingsurface members between which the compressible member or sponge islocated and means for moving at least one of these surface memberstoward the other when it is desired to eject liquid from the dispenser.

In the illustrated embodiment this pair of relatively movable squeezingsurface members comprises a bottom shelf 25 on which the sponge 20rests. The sponge 20 is provided with a central opening 26 which islocated above a trough 25 which leads to an outlet 29 in the side 1.6 ofthe container. When sponge 20 is compressed, liquid collects in opening26 from whence it will be transferred by trough 28 to outlet opening 29.

On the side of the sponge 20 opposite the supporting surface membershelf 25 there is provided a vertically movable compressing plate 30having a stem 31 extending through the top wall 32 of the container andguided in a bearing member 33 in this top wall.

The stem 31 is moved in a vertical path to compress and then remove thecompressing pressure from the sponge 20. In the illustrated embodimentthis movement and thus the dispensing of the liquid within the sponge 20is controlled by a U-shaped bimetal 34 which is adapted to be heated byan elec trical circuit (not shown) that includes the bimetal 34 and twoelectrical contact posts 35 each of which is at one end of the bimetal.As is customary in electrically heated bimetals of this type the basewhich contains the circuit posts 35 is fixed to an insulating block 36so that when an electric current flows through the bimetal the endcontaining the stem 31 of the compressing plate 30 is moved downwardlytoward the fixed shelf 25 to squeeze the sponge 20 therebetween andexpress liquid therefrom which flows out the opening 29 and into theinterior 12 of the dishwasher.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 the sponge 20 and expressing means 25and 311 are contained within an isolating wall 37 located in the cornerbetween the inner side 16 and the top wall 32 of the container 14.

The container 14 is provided with means 38 forming an access opening forintroducing liquid into the interior 2] of the container. In theillustrated embodiment this means comprises a cylinder 39 extendingthrough the inner side 16 of the container adjacent the top thereof andscrew threaded into an annular inwardly extending collar 40. Thiscylinder 39 carries on its inner end a circular disc 41 that has an edgeportion 42 angled toward the container 14. This disc 41 covers theoutlet opening 29 without blocking liquid flow outwardly therefrom inorder to protect this opening from entry of dishwashing liquid from theinterior 12 of the dishwasher during the dishwashing operation. Thus thedisc operated as a shield located externally of the container 14 andspaced from but covering the expressed liquid exit opening 29.

The access opening 43 to the interior of the container 14 comprises theinner cylindrical surface of the access opening means cylinder 39. Inorder to close this opening 43 when desired there is provided a movableclosure 44 that comprises a section 45 of a cylinder .that is movableinwardly and outwardly within the opening 43 of the larger cylinder 39.This movable closure 44 also includes a circular knob 46 attached to theouter end of the section 45 and carrying on its inner surface an annularring 47 that has an inwardly directed annular flange 48 that is elastic.

In order to provide a liquid-introducing trough accessible when theclosure 44 is in open position as shown in FIG. 4 the top of the innercylinder 45 is cut away on a chord with this cut away portion 49 whichis at the top serving as means to introduce liquid into the exposedcylinder 45 and from there by gravity flow into the access opening 43and into the interior 21 of the container.

In order to guide the inner and outer movements of the closure 44 andinner cylinder 45 the inner end of this cylinder 45 inwardly of thesection 49 is provided with an annular ring part 50 that has slidingengagement with the cylindrical surface forming the opening 43. Asfurther support for this movement the external end of the outer cylinder39 is provided with a ring flange section 51 which engages the outersurface of the cylinder 45 during this sliding movement and which alsocooperates with the ring 50 to limit the outward movement of the closure44 to the position shown in FIG. 4.

The operation of the illustrated embodiment is as follows. When theclosure 44 is extended as shown in FIG. 4 the interior 51 of the innercylinder 45 is exposed through the top section 49. Liquid wetting agentor similar liquid may then be in troduced into the interior of thecontainer 14 by pouring the liquid through the section 49 for gravityflow into this interior. Then the closure 44 can be moved to closedposition or to the left of its position in FIG. 4 until the flexibleannular flange 48 engages a holding groove 52 on the outer surface ofthe outer cylinder 43 externally of the shield disc 41. The interior ofthe container 14 is then isolated from the interior of the dishwasher bythe fact that the closure 44 is closed and by the covering of the exitopening 29 by the disc 41.

The wick 22 keeps the sponge 20 substantially saturated with liquid fromthe interior 21 of the container 14. Then at the preselected moment inthe dishwashing cycle an electric current is directed through thebimetal 34 which heats it causing it to curl downwardly as viewed inFIG. 2 to apply a squeezing force to the sponge 20 by the downwardmovement of the squeezing plate 30 and the thusly expressed liquid thenflows out the opening 29 into the interior of the dishwasher.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiments shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A dispenser for dispensing preselected quantities of liquidcomprising: a container for holding a preselected quantity of liquid tobe dispensed; a compressible liquid-retaining member spaced from theliquid in the container; transfer means for transferring liquid fromsaid container to said retaining member; expressing means forselectively compressing and releasing said retaining member to expressseriatim a plurality of discrete preselected portions of saidpreselected quantity of liquid from the container; and conveying meansfor conveying said expressed discrete liquid portions from saidretaining member and said container.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said retaining member comprises asponge.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said transfer means comprises acapillary member.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said capillary member comprises awick.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said expressing means comprises apair of relatively movable squeezing surface members between which saidcompressible retaining member is located and means for moving at leastone of said surface members toward the other.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said means for moving said surfacemembers comprises a thermally activated member.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said retaining member comprises asponge, said transfer means comprises a wick, and said expressing meanscomprises a pair of relatively movable squeezing surface members betweenwhich said compressible member is located and means for moving at leastone of said surface members toward the other.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container is provided withmeans forming an access opening for introducing liquid to said containerand means forming an exit opening as a part of said conveying means.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said container is provided with ashield located externally of said container and spaced from but coveringsaid exit opening.

10. A dispenser for dispensing preselected quantities of additiveliquid, comprising: a container for holding a preselected quantity ofliquid to be dispensed; a compressible porous mass spaced from theliquid in the container; transfer means for transferring liquid fromsaid container to said porous mass; expressing means for selectivelycompressing and releasing said porous mass to express seriatim aplurality of discrete portions of said preselected quantity of theliquid from the container; and conveying means for conveying saidexpressed discrete liquid portions from said porous mass and saidcontainer.

111. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 wherein said porous mass is formedof hydrophilic synthetic plastic material.

1. A dispenser for dispensing preselected quantities of liquidcomprising: a container for holding a preselected quantity of liquid tobe dispensed; a compressible liquid-retaining member spaced from theliquid in the container; transfer means for transferring liquid fromsaid container to said retaining member; expressing means forselectively compressing and releasing said retaining member to expressseriatim a plurality of discrete preselected portions of saidpreselected quantity of liquid from the container; and conveying meansfor conveying said expressed discrete liquid portions from saidretaining member and said container.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 whereinsaid retaining member comprises a sponge.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1wherein said transfer means comprises a capillary member.
 4. Thedispenser of claim 3 wherein said capillary member comprises a wick. 5.The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said expressing means comprises a pairof relatively movable squeezing surface members between which saidcompressible retaining member is located and means for moving at leastone of said surface members toward the other.
 6. The dispenser of claim5 wherein said means for moving said surface members comprises athermally activated member.
 7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein saidretaining member compRises a sponge, said transfer means comprises awick, and said expressing means comprises a pair of relatively movablesqueezing surface members between which said compressible member islocated and means for moving at least one of said surface members towardthe other.
 8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container isprovided with means forming an access opening for introducing liquid tosaid container and means forming an exit opening as a part of saidconveying means.
 9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said container isprovided with a shield located externally of said container and spacedfrom but covering said exit opening.
 10. A dispenser for dispensingpreselected quantities of additive liquid, comprising: a container forholding a preselected quantity of liquid to be dispensed; a compressibleporous mass spaced from the liquid in the container; transfer means fortransferring liquid from said container to said porous mass; expressingmeans for selectively compressing and releasing said porous mass toexpress seriatim a plurality of discrete portions of said preselectedquantity of the liquid from the container; and conveying means forconveying said expressed discrete liquid portions from said porous massand said container.
 11. The liquid dispenser of claim 10 wherein saidporous mass is formed of hydrophilic synthetic plastic material.